Not much to go into here. Warner Bros. said no for no. We aim in finsih it, but the "no" was pretty discouraging. Still, the response to some of the songs on YouTube and on a forum were pretty great.
Ben's moved to Minneapolis until December, so there's not much happening with the musical.until hs moves back because using Skype is a pain, and we're both deep in other things now. Unless things change when he moves back, this will be the final post for RockOp. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Words of Wisdom: Let It Be
Ben and I have started a new musical project, and decided against funneling funds/efforts/time into a big production for the purposes of YouTube.
Today, we're putting the songs up on YouTube with just a simple logo. We'll see what happens.
Perhaps we'll turn this blog into just, I don't know, about our endeavors in general now that LBM can't happen.
Sounds good.
Oh, and this:
When John Kassir, a.k.a. THE MOTHEREFFING CRYPTKEEPER, was approached about singing for the role of Max, he said, "Get the rights .... then we'll talk....."
Sometimes, Facebook, you outdo yourself.
Today, we're putting the songs up on YouTube with just a simple logo. We'll see what happens.
Perhaps we'll turn this blog into just, I don't know, about our endeavors in general now that LBM can't happen.
Sounds good.
Oh, and this:
When John Kassir, a.k.a. THE MOTHEREFFING CRYPTKEEPER, was approached about singing for the role of Max, he said, "Get the rights .... then we'll talk....."
Sometimes, Facebook, you outdo yourself.
Friday, December 3, 2010
It Ends. It Begins.
It's been quite while since I updated. We've been working hard on different songs, have gone into the studio a few times with new singers, and have been talking with out lawyer as she wrangled with WB for adaptation rights, for, by the way, The Lost Boys--the 1987 cult-classic vampire film.
Sadly, one week ago. Ben and I found out from Warner Bros. that they were not interested in giving us licensing rights.
It was a pretty hard blow. It's been a ton of time, a ton of money, and a ton of work.
Ben and I had a conversation. Do we say, "fuck it" and pay to record everything anyway? Do we give up entirely and do something else? WHAT DO WE DO?
So here's what we're doing. We're going to complete the last remaining songs of the musical in Ben's home studio, and we're going to film a concept video including the songs we've already recorded. THen we promote the crap out of it online. And then we see what happens. Maybe it generates buzz, and maybe it doesn't. But if the guy who wrote mediocre songs for "The Goonies Musical" can put them to clips of the film illegally on YouTube and still be featured in a British film magazine, then we have a shot.
We're scheduled to film in January. Will keep you posted.
Sadly, one week ago. Ben and I found out from Warner Bros. that they were not interested in giving us licensing rights.
It was a pretty hard blow. It's been a ton of time, a ton of money, and a ton of work.
Ben and I had a conversation. Do we say, "fuck it" and pay to record everything anyway? Do we give up entirely and do something else? WHAT DO WE DO?
So here's what we're doing. We're going to complete the last remaining songs of the musical in Ben's home studio, and we're going to film a concept video including the songs we've already recorded. THen we promote the crap out of it online. And then we see what happens. Maybe it generates buzz, and maybe it doesn't. But if the guy who wrote mediocre songs for "The Goonies Musical" can put them to clips of the film illegally on YouTube and still be featured in a British film magazine, then we have a shot.
We're scheduled to film in January. Will keep you posted.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
3 2 1 Contact - Michael
That was a show that I watched on public television.
We got in contact with a star of the film's manager, as I may have mentioned. (Michael, you say, wouldn't it be easy to just go back and look at your previous posts to see if you've mentioned this previously? Fluck that schlit.) So I talked to the guy on the phone last night, and it went as well as could be expected. Basically, i told him that ideally, we'd like to have his client, let's call him "Donatello," use his influence over at WB to help our cause, or, on the lower end of the spectrum, we'd like to get some sort of quote from Don to use on the album.
He kind of bypassed the Donny helping us thing and simply gave me the name of a guy at WB to contact. However, he did say that once the whole thing was done, we could probably arrange for a quote. So hey! That's something!
Other news: We got the songs sounding more or less to where we want them to be. We've since gone back in the studio and have started recording five more in WB wants to hear more. Oh yeah! Our lawyer is mailing the demo to WB TODAY. Hopefully SOMETHING will come out of that. If not, it's gorilla tactics all the way. No, that's not a misspelling. We will systematically rent gorilla suits and promptly send them to WB filled with copies of the album.
You know, honestly, it's not a terrible way to get people to notice you.
We got in contact with a star of the film's manager, as I may have mentioned. (Michael, you say, wouldn't it be easy to just go back and look at your previous posts to see if you've mentioned this previously? Fluck that schlit.) So I talked to the guy on the phone last night, and it went as well as could be expected. Basically, i told him that ideally, we'd like to have his client, let's call him "Donatello," use his influence over at WB to help our cause, or, on the lower end of the spectrum, we'd like to get some sort of quote from Don to use on the album.
He kind of bypassed the Donny helping us thing and simply gave me the name of a guy at WB to contact. However, he did say that once the whole thing was done, we could probably arrange for a quote. So hey! That's something!
Other news: We got the songs sounding more or less to where we want them to be. We've since gone back in the studio and have started recording five more in WB wants to hear more. Oh yeah! Our lawyer is mailing the demo to WB TODAY. Hopefully SOMETHING will come out of that. If not, it's gorilla tactics all the way. No, that's not a misspelling. We will systematically rent gorilla suits and promptly send them to WB filled with copies of the album.
You know, honestly, it's not a terrible way to get people to notice you.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Two More In The Can - Michael
This Wednesday, the 4th of August, 2010, we go into the studio to record the music for two more songs, anticipating a move with WB. One's a lullaby transitioning into a rockabilly number. The other is an in your FACE metal number. It's somehow both extremely metal and extremely musical at the same time. Don't know how it worked out, but it did.
Trying to finagle this letter with the lawyer. This thing is like, four pages long now. I think she's taking a "we mean business" approach, so I'm all for it. It's a culmination of her writing and mine, and hopefully, with our powers combined, we can be Captain Plan-It, and start planning the rest of this album out.
Pun fail.
Got a bunch of singers looking to audition for the main villain. So close to having a full cast. One audition is with a guy who toured as Ted Neeley's understudy for two years. He claims he can belt it like a biotch, so I'm hopeful that he'll come through.
Just bought an awesome bass, btw.
Here it is.
It's awesome, and since I'm going to be playing bass on most of the tracks, I wanted to get something I was proud to play, and that would make our stuff sound all the better.
Oh, and as a side note, Ben and I are looking to record an album with our old rock band, Scoundrel. Something to Ziploc those memories in. It will kick ASS.
That is all.
Trying to finagle this letter with the lawyer. This thing is like, four pages long now. I think she's taking a "we mean business" approach, so I'm all for it. It's a culmination of her writing and mine, and hopefully, with our powers combined, we can be Captain Plan-It, and start planning the rest of this album out.
Pun fail.
Got a bunch of singers looking to audition for the main villain. So close to having a full cast. One audition is with a guy who toured as Ted Neeley's understudy for two years. He claims he can belt it like a biotch, so I'm hopeful that he'll come through.
Just bought an awesome bass, btw.
Here it is.
It's awesome, and since I'm going to be playing bass on most of the tracks, I wanted to get something I was proud to play, and that would make our stuff sound all the better.
Oh, and as a side note, Ben and I are looking to record an album with our old rock band, Scoundrel. Something to Ziploc those memories in. It will kick ASS.
That is all.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Waiting Game - Michael
The demo is done. And while there are still a few minor tweaks that need to be made to the songs when we make the final album, those three songs are, as a whole, DONE. Effing done. And they sound great.
We've since sent the demo to our lawyer who is currently drafting the letter that will go to Warner Bros. We were supposed to get that draft yesterday, but that didn't happen. Still haven't heard back from them. I trust them implicitly; I'm just impatient.
Also, we got in contact with the manager of an actor who was in the film that we're adapting. He was a major character in it, and we're hoping if he likes it, that he'll use some of his sway over at WB to help us out. According to UPS tracking, the manager received the demo we sent him. Haven't heard back from him yet, either.
We're looking to have the MUSIC of four more songs recorded by September 1. It's all just so much waiting. It's driving me insane. When I'm at work, I think about the songs. I wish I could take off for a month, and just sit with Ben and bang this shit out.
We've since sent the demo to our lawyer who is currently drafting the letter that will go to Warner Bros. We were supposed to get that draft yesterday, but that didn't happen. Still haven't heard back from them. I trust them implicitly; I'm just impatient.
Also, we got in contact with the manager of an actor who was in the film that we're adapting. He was a major character in it, and we're hoping if he likes it, that he'll use some of his sway over at WB to help us out. According to UPS tracking, the manager received the demo we sent him. Haven't heard back from him yet, either.
We're looking to have the MUSIC of four more songs recorded by September 1. It's all just so much waiting. It's driving me insane. When I'm at work, I think about the songs. I wish I could take off for a month, and just sit with Ben and bang this shit out.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
2 Out of 3 Ain't Great - Michael
Studio last night. Doin' the mixin' thang. Of the three songs we mixed, I'm unhappy with one. It's such a small thing, but of the say, 10 minutes of recorded music, roughly 15 seconds of it drives me nuts. Ben's cool with it, but he says if I'm not, we can mess with it. He can hear my complaint, but he takes it as a stylistic choice, and not an pissue. But I see it as an issue. And I know it can be fixed. If it can sound better, I guess it should sound better. He agrees with that.
But at what point to you accept what you have? And at what point do you keep trying to improve it? I mean, you can edit to oblivion, but eventually you have to say, "This is what it is. This is good. And it's good enough."
Luckily, this particular instance does not fall into this category. I was listening to the same three songs last night repeatedly, so I might have some listening fatigue. I'll give it a shot tonight. Let an objective party listen to it. If I'm still unhappy, or they mention the problem without me prompting them, and Ben's cool with it, it's getting changed.
But at what point to you accept what you have? And at what point do you keep trying to improve it? I mean, you can edit to oblivion, but eventually you have to say, "This is what it is. This is good. And it's good enough."
Luckily, this particular instance does not fall into this category. I was listening to the same three songs last night repeatedly, so I might have some listening fatigue. I'll give it a shot tonight. Let an objective party listen to it. If I'm still unhappy, or they mention the problem without me prompting them, and Ben's cool with it, it's getting changed.
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